Thanksgiving 2015................

Lets see I have how many weeks before Christmas? to loose the weight I put back on getting ready and during Thanksgiving. We were going to skip it this year as far as a big meal etc but Justin and Carrie were able to come down (from the UP) with Teal. Jason was coming home and Laura got the day off work and so it just seemed like it was the right time to do it. So I think it all went really well. Carrie was terrific, she and Justin helped prepare Wednesday night and they even did the shopping for me, and paid for it. We had the basics already but there was still a lot to get.

Gerry, Laura and Robert with Reina, Jason, Teal and Carrie. Justin, Gabby and Tony and Cooper. Tristen was still playing outside.

Carrie and Justin in the kitchen

By the time everyone was here and the food was ready everyone was starving, they were hovering. Now I would love to be one of those people who can set a nice table, get out all the best dishes and crystal. That's what I would love. Reality, my family is not like that. Trays in the living room watching the games. Some of us at the table talking. This year I didn't even put everything in proper serving dishes. They were too hungry. Here is Gerry carving the turkey with everyone trying to grab a piece.


We had the turkey, corned beef from the crockpot. Roast potatoes, mashed potatoes. Brussels, Green beans, baby carrots. Two kinds of stuffing (Carrie is gluten intolerant) two kinds of gravy. Carrie made some excellent rutabaga and carrot mix, and cranberry relish. She also made pies. We had cake and ice cream after for Laura's birthday.

Notice someone (we blamed Justin) changed the candle from 49 to 94. Turns out it was Tony after all.
Cooper enjoyed the cake


It was GOOD


I really enjoyed this years Thanksgiving I have never had anyone help me with it before, not like that and boy did it make it less stressful. You know, people offer to help, they do, but Carrie just went ahead and did it. When you have to explain what needs to be done, its not much help and so I just say no and that's OK. This was nice. Justin even did dishes after so Gerry got a break too.He had to have stood 2 hours doing dishes.

Gabby, Tony with Cooper and Jason

Gerry, Laura, Robert and Teal.

Justin and Carrie brought Winslow with them. They have 4 dogs but Winslow cant be left. I think he fit right in don't you.

November Sunday......

The last of the sun? A wonderful sunny Sunday, we just had to go out. Gerry didn't want to go so Laura, Reina and I went out for a drive. What to do, it was probably 60 degrees by the afternoon but we took coats expecting it to be windy. We chose to go up on Empire Bluffs. Its a nice hike with lovely views, worth the effort and walking through woodlands. It was the 15th, first day of hunting. I could not believe some old codger was sitting on a log with his rifle. I said you have to be kidding. Thousands of acres of land and he is by a busy trail. Not that he would have ever seen a deer with Reina in the woods. Still, I think it's selfish and dangerous. Yes he was within his rights but............

The woods were lovely, the views spectacular as always.

I will do a piece on the woods in my Garden Blog later. Reina wanted me to take a picture.

From there we were going to the beach at Point Oneida and on the way we saw a FOX. I saw it same time as Laura, Fooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxx, she turned in and I took some pictures. I then got out to get closer. The fox, I think a girl, was beautiful. She saw me and was unconcerned. She went about playing and hunting while I watched.




I followed as she went along the edge of the long grass on her way to somewhere else. Then she spotted something and did that awesome dive. They are so much like cats when they pounce.





Enjoying lunch

WE moved on to the beach.


This guy was heading into the waves, Laura took him back up the beach. Not sure that was his intent but it looked unsafe in the Lake

We did find some stones to take home and had coats off by then, warm day for November for sure.My little buddy Tristen was at his aunt Laura's for the weekend so he missed this one.
On the way home we had another wildlife encounter. This lovely lady posed for us

Wished her long life and told her to stay away from the hunters.It was a great day out. We were so thrilled with the fox, it was the highlight of the day. What a beautiful tail she had. (brush)
I think its one of the best things for me to have the privalege of seeing wild things, and them not being afraid of me.

week two Taekwondo..................

Well Tristen was eager to get to his class this week. He really enjoyed it last week. He had a very good week at school. I think this higher dose of Concerta is helping. He still had a little problem in gym but by the end of the week he got a good report even from that class. Maybe we are on the right track. He does not seem to be having too many side effects so far. We have had a couple of nights that were very difficult getting him to sleep. The doctor prescribed some over the counter medication to help with that but I am not going to start on that road. Not unless its an absolute necessity. I mean we all could use some help sometimes. I just baulk at the thought of using drugs, safe or not unless its extreme circumstances. I hate that he is taking Concerta but if he is to get an education then this does seem (for now) to be the answer. Maybe as he matures he may gain some self control. It's hard for a wee one who is barely 6.

This way we can work on self discipline and he can actually listen. I had been talking about his first lesson and how he needs to slow down and be accurate rather than fast in his moves. He seemed more relaxed and eager to learn this week. He was certainly giving the teacher his full attention and was eager to learn. Now if we can get that attitude in his school room we will be all set. With a quieter mind perhaps that will happen too.?

He is lucky in as much as his current teacher has a son who has simular issues so she understands. I also spoke to his Fathers mum, she said David had the same issues as a boy. Well David was not very able to control himself. Alex (Tristens mum) had a restraining order out on him at one point because David had kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant. I knew David and liked him, no one else did I might add. I understood he had issues and did some dumb things. He stole money from us and from his friends. For this and other reasons he is not in Tristens life right now. I am in contact with his mother though. She adores Tristen. No reason she should not have contact, she did nothing wrong.

Tristen got to meet her when she was in town this summer. He takes it all in stride (as far as we can tell) My hope is that some day David will have matured and may be the kind of man that Tristen can welcome as his father. He has lost his Mother but maybe some day?

We would love to adopt Tristen but his granddad Dan does not want that. He is afraid that if anything happens to us that Tristen would be cut off from his side of the family. I understand his fear but that would not happen. We may pursue the adoption anyway. I am still concidering this. I have people to contact and advice to get yet. The thing is Alex did not want Dan to have Tristen and neither did David. For many reasons. Laura, his grandmother (my daughter) has never been in a position to have him and so we have agreed that his auntie Laura is the obvious choice should anything befall both of us. He spends every other weekend with her and its the obvious place for him at this point.

Some day, and hopefully we will live long enough, he will be able to choose for himself. Meanwhile we do the best we can. I am hoping that we can do a lot more with Tristen this winter, like ice skating maybe and get out in the snow. Brrrrrr...........then in Spring we will sign him up for soccer, another sport that should help with discipline. If things go well he will continue in Taekwondo and swimming lessons until he excells at both.

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot (HD w/ Lyrics)

I don't know why this always gets to me. I had only been in Michigan a few years when it happened. It forever coloured my view of Lake Superior. I see her as a very dangerous lady. I love going there. We usually stop in at Whitefish point and go to the Great Lakes shipping museum where the artifacts from the wreck are displayed. The Gordon Lightfoot song plays there in a ha;f light that sets the mood. All crew members were lost that day. The very power that can break one of those ships in half is unbelievable. The ship was loaded with iron ore.

There will be a memorial there this weekend to remember 40 years ago that night the Edmund Fitzgerald was lost with all hands. I remember it being on the news that she was missing.............then the wait. Only to find she was down.
The words to the song bring it all to the emotion of that night. It is haunting.

Taekwondo...............

Tristen is officially a little dragon. His first lesson in Taekwondo was today. He was proud as punch. Smile hardly left his face. He is not shy at all and fit right in. He did his best. Maybe a bit over zealous haha but all in all he did very well.
My camera was not working, but we took a picture when we got home.

We have talked about what Marshal arts are, that they are for self defence and not agression. We will keep reiterating that. Tristen was diagnosed with ADHD. Has impulse control issues and we hope this may help get him on the right track.


He was already interested because of the Teenage Ninja Turtles and naturally he thinks he knows all about it. I am hoping that this will direct him into the right channels. It should help to teach self control.

While I may not know how to do any of the martial arts, what I saw him doing this week I can help teach him. Maybe that will give us something to do and I can use the exercize. This much I can do. Its good stretching exercize and I do have good balance and it sure wont hurt me to work on that.

As he has been in trouble at school with agression, whether it be in play or not, I hope this will help with self control. He has hit people in play, and just because. I will not raise a bully. This has to stop now. I am doing all I know how to direct him on the right paths. We have begun medication for ADHD and I doubled that up with also seeing a councilor. I don't know what else to do. I am hoping that understanding the concept behind the martial arts will help him think before acting on his impulses. In Spring we will also do soccer and maybe horseback riding. NO sports that are violent, no hockey or football for this kid. At least not while he is young.

Me and Tristen in the woods.................

After Tristens doctors appointment yesterday we decided to make good use of such a lovely day. It was sunny and warm, almost 70 degrees. Certainly hot walking up and down hills. The woods were lovely and there were quite a few people out enjoying the day. We went off the trails though onto the less traveled trails. A bit of climbing took us up a ridge and there we sat for a rest.



What a glorious day it was. Tristen was really enjoying himself and didn't want to leave. We climbed and scrambled over logs and fallen trees. It was somewhat difficult for me as I don't see that well. In fact going down I fell on my butt, whoompffff. Tristen laughs "Nanny you fell on your bum" .............oh yes I did, ouch. I pretended it didn't hurt but thought "thats going to hurt tomorrow".
Well we have to amuse the child don't we.
We got back onto the original trail after awhile but he was not ready to go home so I told him we would find another place to walk. He found a shell..............

So we left the woods and went to the "Labyrinth" there was a big tree down

While he was trying to figure out the labyrinth I had spotted a deer, so I am sure he cheated.


I was glad we took water with us because we were both hot by the time we got back in the car.
I got him in the car by reminding him of the hay pile over by the old State Hospital. I wanted to get some pictures over there. That did the trick.


Naturally Tristen found someone to play with.

It was getting on and I needed to get home, well Tristen did not want to leave, he was having fun. At first even with the idea of icecream in his head he said no. Then I got firm about it and he came reluctantly but with the promice of ice cream. I will do a post later about the State Hospital and it's story. Tristen had a really good day and I proved I could drive OK even with a lot of traffic around. So I am feeling a bit more independent. We will do that more often.

ADHD.............

I knew it but didn't want to. ADHD. We had the school fill out a form for the doctors office. I also filled out a form. The doctor had little doubt that Tristen has it. I have waited this long to take action. I hate the idea of drugs for the problem. It was the last option for me. I feel that to give a pill to solve every problem makes it more difficult when the child gets older to say not to take drugs to make you feel better. For recreation, for fun. I must work that out before then.

Tristen has always been outgoing and social. Always been active. As he has got older he has also become hyperactive. Always busy. He can sit still for a long period of time if he is watching a movie that holds his interest, or playing a game he is interested in. We do a lot of outside activity. We keep him busy, naturally that is not possible every day all day.

We do a lot of hiking, walking and outside play. He has swimming lessons once a week and I will now sign him up for Taekwondo once a week. That should help with self discipline and I think he is ready now. I can't really afford it but I think it will make a difference.
I can't wait to see him do that.

I will be getting ice skates for him and me and hope I dont kill myself haha. Better get that life insurance first. I have not skated in many many years and was only then just beginning to learn. Ah well, what ever it takes. I would also like to do some hiking in the snow. For that I will have to rely on someone else taking us as I wont be wanting to drive in the snow.

If anyone has any suggestions on this subject I will be happy to hear from you.
I am seeing a pscych doctor tomorrow, and then the next appointment he will see Tristen. Tristen sees his regular doctor on Tuesday. We started him on Concerta but I see no difference in just over a week. In fact if anything he is worse because getting to sleep has been a pain. I am willing to try things here but I wont experiment on him. I think the school needs to learn to deal with things on a certain level. I am talking to as many people as I find for ideas and I am shocked how prevelent this is. It never used to be. I don't buy that its always been there. Yes, maybe on a certain level, but discipline helped a great deal in years gone by. Sure some fell through the cracks, that always happens but to me the food processing and sugar levels have a lot to do with it. I don't go for the immunations being a cause of Autism but it sure is something. I believe its in the food. We have to deal with that and I have tried diet. So many of the foods kids love had yellow or red food dye and thats part of it for him. I limit sugar intake. The trouble is he is not a food lover. Not a lot he likes to start with. So what next...................to be continued.